Adult ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; immunology ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-12 ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in serum levels of Th1- (IL-2 and TNF-alpha) and Th2-type cytokines (IL-10) and the ratios of Th1/Th2 (IL-2/IL-10 and TNF-alpha/IL-10) in preeclampsia and in gestational hypertension.

METHODSLevels of IL-2, IL-10 and TNF-alpha were determined with radioimmunoassay in serum samples from 22 women with preeclampsia, 15 women with gestational hypertension and 32 normal term pregnant women. The Th1/Th2 ratios were calculated accordingly.

RESULTThere were no significant differences in serum levels of IL-2, IL-10 and TNF-alpha (P>0.05 for all) among normal pregnancy, gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. The ratio of serum IL-2/IL-10 was significantly higher in preeclampsia than that in controls (P < 0.05), and the ratio of TNF-alpha/IL-10 significantly higher in patients with preeclampsia than that in either controls or gestational hypertension (P<0.025 for both).

CONCLUSIONAlterations of serum cytokine balance with predominance of Th1 immunity were observed in preeclampsia. These associations may offer insight into the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced ; blood ; Interleukin-10 ; blood ; Interleukin-2 ; blood ; Pre-Eclampsia ; blood ; Pregnancy ; Th1 Cells ; immunology ; Th2 Cells ; immunology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo examine serum levels of interleukin-13 (IL-13) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) pneumonia.

METHODSEighty children with MP pneumonia complicated by wheezing or without (n=40 each), 40 children with pneumonia from non-MP infection and 40 healthy children were enrolled. Serum levels of IL-13 and TNF-alpha were measured using ELISA.

RESULTSThe serum levels of IL-13 and TNF-alpha in the MP pneumonia group were significantly higher than those in non-MP pneumonia group and the healthy control group (P<0.01). The children with MP pneumonia complicated by wheezing had increased serum levels of IL-13 (214.6 + or - 67.2 ng/L vs 189.6 + or - 52.1 ng/L; P<0.01) and TNF-alpha(0.55 + or - 0.13 ng/mL vs 0.42 + or - 0.16 ng/mL; P<0.01)compared with those without wheezing.

CONCLUSIONSThe increase in serum levels of IL-13 and TNF-alpha may play important roles in the pathogenesis of MP pneumonia and wheezing attack in children.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Interleukin-13 ; blood ; Male ; Pneumonia, Bacterial ; immunology ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma ; immunology ; Respiratory Sounds ; immunology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

OBJECTIVETo examine the changes in the expression of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and elucidate the inflammatory status of apparently healthy subjects.

METHODSPeripheral blood samples (5 ml) were collected after fasting for more than 8 h from 14 healthy control subjects and 14 apparently healthy subjects with elevated serum high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) level (≥ 2.0 mg/L). PBMCs were separated by Ficoll density gradient centrifugation and the total RNA was extracted for real-time quantitative PCR analysis of the inflammatory cytokines, and plasma was separated for ELISA analysis of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-&alpha; (TNF-&alpha;) expressions.

RESULTSThe gene expressions of TNF-&alpha; and MCPIP were significantly increased in PBMCs of apparently healthy subjects, while IL-6 and MCP-1 only showed slight elevations; IL-10 expression in PBMCs decreased significantly in apparently healthy subjects as compared to that in the control group. The results of ELISA showed significantly elevated TNF-&alpha; level without significant changes of plasma IL-6 level in apparently healthy subjects.

CONCLUSIONIn apparently healthy subjects with normal lipid levels, chronic low-grade inflammation has occurred shown by elevated expressions of the pro-inflammatory cytokines and lowered expressions of the anti-inflammatory cytokines.

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Gene Expression ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Inflammation ; immunology ; Interleukin-10 ; blood ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; immunology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

OBJECTIVETo explore the immunomechanism of chronic lung disease (CLD) in premature infants by investigating the changes of 17 cytokines.

METHODSTwenty-six preterm neonates who had been in the NICU for over 28 days were divided into CLD group (n=14) and control group consisting of 12 preterm neonates. Seventeen cytokines, namely interleukin 1b (IL-1b), IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-17, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interferon-gamma, tumour necrosis factor alpha, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, and macrophage inflammatory protein-1b were detected in a single sample of peripheral blood by multi-plex technology (Bio-plex).

RESULTSThere were no significant differences in the level of the 17 cytokines between the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe cytokines examined may not be involved in the later period pathogenesis of CLD.

Chronic Disease ; Cytokines ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukins ; blood ; Lung Diseases ; blood ; immunology ; Male ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in the expression of HLA-DR on CD14+ monocytes of burn patients with delayed resuscitation, and to analyze the relationship between it and sepsis.

METHODSTwenty-five patients with total burn surface area over 30% TBSA and delayed resuscitation were enrolled in the study, among which 7 were complicated by sepsis during hospitalization. Peripheral blood was collected on 1, 3, 7, 14 and 28 post-burn days (PBD), and the blood of the patients with sepsis were also collected on the 1 and 2 days after the occurrence of sepsis. Twenty healthy volunteers were enrolled as controls. Expression rate of HLA-DR on CD14+ monocytes was determined by flow cytometry. The level of TNF-alpha and IL-10 were measured by ELISA.

RESULTSExpression rate of HLA-DR antigen on CD14+ monocytes in burn patients without sepsis on 1, 3, 7, 14, 28 PBD were (15 +/- 6)%, (7 +/- 5)%, (26 +/- 17)%, (28 +/- 16)% and (47 +/- 16)%, respectively, which were obviously lower than that of healthy people [(92 +/- 10)%, P < 0.01], and it was also markedly lower on 1 and 2 days after the occurrence of sepsis than that of controls and those of patients without sepsis on 1, 7, 14, 28 PBD (P < 0.01). The positive rate and concentration of TNF-alpha in patients with sepsis were obviously higher than that of healthy people and patients without sepsis (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). There was a negative correlation between the expression rate of HLA-DR on CD14+ monocytes and IL-10 levels, and it showed significant difference on 1, 7, and 28 PBD (r = -0.9963, -0.7459, -0.8474, respectively, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONImmune function is suppressed and proinflammatory mediators are excessively released in severely burn patients after delayed resuscitation, especially when complicated with sepsis. Expression of HLA-DR on CD14+ monocytes may be an useful parameter for monitoring the immune function of burn patients.

Burns ; immunology ; metabolism ; HLA-DR Antigens ; metabolism ; Humans ; Interleukin-10 ; blood ; Lipopolysaccharide Receptors ; metabolism ; Monocytes ; immunology ; metabolism ; Sepsis ; immunology ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cytokines ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Interleukin-8 ; blood ; Male ; Seizures, Febrile ; immunology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of direct moxibustion at Sihua points on immune function and life quality of chemotherapy patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

METHODSEighty cases were randomly divided into a chemotherapy and moxibustion group (group A) and a chemotherapy group (group B), 40 cases in each one. Navelbine and cisplatin were applied in both groups. In addition, direct moxibustion at Sihua points which included Geshu (BL 17) and Danshu (BL 19) was used in the group A. Three moxa-cones were given on each acupoint, once a day, ten days treatment made one session and totally one session was required. The change of colony stimulating factor (CSF), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-2 (IL- 2) and Karnofsky scale was compared between the two groups before and after treatment.

RESULTSAfter the treatment, the levels of serum CSF, IL-2 in the group A were higher than those in the group B (both P < 0.01), while the level of TNF in the group A was lower than that in the group B (P<0. 01). Although Karnofsky score was decreased in the two groups (both P < 0.01), the score in the group A was higher than that in the group B (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONDirect moxibustion at Sihua points could increase the levels of CSF and IL-2 and reduce TNF in the chemotherapy patients with lung cancer, which could improve immune function, clinical efficacy and life quality.

Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Aged ; Cisplatin ; therapeutic use ; Cytokines ; blood ; immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 ; blood ; Lung Neoplasms ; blood ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

Non-human primate studies must be conducted prior to the clinical trial of xenotransplantation. In order to develop clinically applicable immune-modulatory regimen through non-human primate studies, close monitoring of xenogeneic immune responses is required. We adopted multiplex cytokine analysis in assessment of the immune status during the course of pig-to-non-human primate islet transplantation. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of this multiplex cytokine assay in the development of immune-modulatory regimen. Using this assay, we were able to detect different cytokines with a minimal usage of blood samples, and this allowed us to detect various immunological situations in the recipients. Detection of TNF-alpha surge (347.8 pg/mL) guided us to block TNF-alpha in the early phase of transplantation. Supportive information for in vivo efficacy of cytokine neutralizing antibody could be speculated by in vitro neutralization assay (1,250 pg/mL --> 0 pg/mL). In addition, periodic monitoring of cytokines in peripheral blood allowed the detection of the infection episode prior to other routine assays. These benefits of multiplex cytokine assay may be generally applied to other pre-clinical research, which is a prerequisite for clinical trials.
Animals ; Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology ; Blood Cell Count ; Cytokines/*blood/immunology ; Immunoassay/*methods ; Interleukin-6/blood ; Islets of Langerhans Transplantation/*immunology ; Macaca mulatta ; Swine ; Transplantation, Heterologous ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood/immunology

OBJECTIVETo compare the effect on erythropoietin (Epo) resistance between acupoint injection and subcutaneous injection of rHuEpo in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF).

METHODSThirty-eight cases were randomly divided into two groups, 19 cases in each one. In subcutaneous injection group (control group), subcutaneous injection of rHuEpo was administered, 3 times a week, lasting 2 months. In acupoint group (observation group), rHuEpo was injected on unilateral Shenshu (BL 23) and Zusanli (ST 36), one point was chosen each time, the bilateral acupoints were injected alternatively, 3 times a week, for 2 months. Meanwhile, a normal control group of 19 healthy persons was set up. The levels of CRP, IL-6, TNF-alpha, Scr, BUN, Hb, Hct and SF were observed.

RESULTSBefore treatment, the values of CRP, IL-6 and TNF-alpha in two groups were all higher than those in normal control group (all P < 0.01). After treatment for 2 months, the values of CRP, IL-6,TNF-alpha, Scr and BUN in two groups decreased apparently and those of Hb, Hct and SF increased obviously, indicating statistic significant differences as compared with the values before treatment separately (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). In comparison between two groups after treatment, every index above in observation group was improved much significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONAcupoint injection of rHuEpo at Zusanli (ST 36) and Shenshu (BL 23) increases significantly the values of Hb, Hct and SF, and decreases apparently the values of BUN, Scr and inflammatory factors, such as CRP, IL-6 and TNF-alpha as compared with subcutaneous injection. Acupoint injection improves Epo resistance and enhances Epo efficacy via alleviating micro-inflammatory state of the body.

Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Aged ; Drug Resistance ; Erythropoietin ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation Mediators ; blood ; immunology ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; immunology ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; blood ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recombinant Proteins ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood ; immunology